For the first time since 2022, the area of Poland has decreased. According to information from the Central Statistical Office (GUS), the country has lost 68 hectares of territory since the beginning of the current year. This significant reduction in area over such a short period was made possible by the actions of the West Pomerania Voivodeship.
“These changes are the result of using the national register of borders and territorial divisions of the country to update the database. In the case of the West Pomerania and Pomerania Voivodeships, these changes also included aligning the borders of territorial units (located along the coast of the Baltic Sea) with the baseline of territorial sea,” it was noted in the materials.
According to GUS, after January 1, 2025, the municipalities of Poland will also undergo changes in their territorial structure. Thus, the urban area increased by 4.9 thousand hectares, while the rural area decreased by 5 thousand hectares.
For major cities, the difference is also significant: the area of urban municipalities decreased by 173 hectares, while the area of urban-rural municipalities increased by 77.8 thousand hectares. Taking these changes into account, the area of rural municipalities decreased by 77.6 thousand hectares.
As a result of the registration of restrictions and changes in Poland's territorial structure, the area of the country decreased by 68 hectares. Changes also occurred in municipalities, which will significantly affect the geographical distribution of the population and resources.